Making a Family
by Bullet'sSharpStar
Summary: Katniss and Johanna are married and living in District 7. It took some time, but they are finally ready to start a family. Both Katniss and Johanna have thier doubts and freak outs over the process, but find comfort in eachother.


Katniss felt like they had been in this office too long. The chair was getting uncomfortable. She shifted her weight this way and that. Johanna sat in the chair next to her, the picture of calmness. She neither looked worried, nor shifted her weight. The doctor silently filled out papers. Katniss looked out of the window, then to her feet and back to Johanna. Johanna caught her look and smiled gently. Katniss bowed her head, knowing she should not be so worried. The doctor then cleared his throat.

"Okay, that should be the majority of the paper work…" he flips through a few pages looking for the ones that he needs to discuss.

"Okay, so once all your tests come back, we will know which one of you will be the best candid for the pregnancy. Have you decided which of you will carry the baby?" He looks to Katniss first.

Katniss runs her hands over her stomach. They had not talked about this part yet. They simply came in for the tests. She imagined growing a baby inside her. She thought about something depending on her very breathe to keep them alive, depending on her every move to keep it safe. Her blood ran cold at the thought. What if she failed? Her breath caught in her throat and her eyes widened in fear. 'Can I do this?' she thought to herself. She looked to Johanna. Johanna was smiling. She could read Katniss like a book. Katniss protects by putting herself on the line. She would not know how to be the one needing protecting. She would not know how to be weak. Johanna reached for her love's hand. She smiled reassuringly and Katniss became able to breathe again.

"We decided that I would be the one to carry, if that's possible." She said confidently.

Katniss felt a wave of relief come over her. She looked at Johanna and imagined her with a pregnant belly. Yes, this was the better option. Katniss could better protect her if she did not have to worry about her self. Katniss was good at protecting others, but that meant putting herself in the line of fire. It is all she knew, all she had ever done. More notes were taken, questions asked, and finally Katniss and Johanna left the office.

They headed back to their home in seven. This is where they had decided to spend the pregnancy. Katniss would hate to think what it would be like living next to the man who wanted to have her kids for so long, and now she is having them with someone else. When they arrived, they noticed that the party had arrived. Katniss did not know if telling everyone they were trying to have kids was a good idea, but Johanna was so excited. Katniss's mom would be inside, so would Annie, Haymitch, Cressida, maybe Effie too. Katniss was not sure whom all Johanna had told, or who all was invited. They entered the house and were surprised to see only Haymitch and Annie on the couch. Annie's son was in the floor playing with his toys. Haymitch was sober, and the first to see the girls come in.

"Congratulations!" Haymitch shouted. Johanna smiled and gave him a hug. The girls sat down and chatted with their friends about how the districts were. After everyone was caught up, the talk turned to the baby that Johanna would carry. Haymitch laughed at the thought of a pregnant Johanna. Nevertheless, Johanna took it in stride. She smiled and was calm. She was the most relaxed that Katniss had ever saw her. They talked baby names, hopes for the sex, and ideas for a nursery. Annie seemed to be enjoying herself when a certain look came across her face. At first, it was confusion, then sadness, and somehow morphed into concern, frustration and then clarity. She smiled and took in a deep breathe. When Haymitch stopped talking about things he would teach the child, she leaned forward and cleared her throat.

"Johanna, Katniss, have you picked a donor yet?" She looked at each of the girls. The surprise on Katniss's face told her that they had not thought about it yet. Johanna laughed at her surprised face and held her hand.

"No, we haven't reached that step, first we have to make sure I can carry to term, and then we will move on to donors." Johanna explained.

Annie bit her lip, and leaned forward even more. The seriousness of Annie's face made Katniss uncomfortable. She held fast to Johanna's hand, not sure, where this was going to lead. Katniss did not like the idea of a random donor as her child's father, but Johanna insisted it would be okay. Was Annie going to criticize this decision?

"Johanna, I don't know if Finnick told you this or not, but, the capitol made him make a donation to the sperm bank. They were working on a way to sale the idea of his genetics. They never got that far, of course, because of the war. His, um, donation is still stored there. If you wanted…" Annie looked across at her own son and back to her late husband's best friend "Johanna, if you wanted, I would agree to let you use his donation. He would be proud to be able to do this for you." She looked earnestly at Johanna, hoping to give her son a brother, her friends an option and to keep Finnick's memory alive. Johanna had lost all of her composure. She could not breathe, she could not look at Annie, and she could not release her grip on Katniss's hand. Annie could see the panic rising in Johanna's eyes. Johanna could feel it in the back of her throat.

"Of course, I don't expect an answer right now. You need time to consider this." She leaned back against the chair. Haymitch watched Johanna, and it was apparent to him the party had ended. He rose up and made an excuse about time, Annie followed his lead. Katniss could see Johanna was stuck to her chair. She walked their guests to the door, thanked Annie for such a generous and selfless offer and said their goodbyes. Katniss watched them walk down to the train station together for a few seconds, before returning to her wife.

Johanna had not moved, and it looked like she had not taken a breath either. Katniss rested a hand on her shoulder. The contact bolted Johanna back to reality. She stood up, her eyes were wide, her face pale and her breath quick.

"Katniss, we can't do this. Finnick was like, a brother to me. I can't…" She looked down at her stomach and then in the direction of the bathroom. Her face had taken on a shade of green. "I can't have his baby!" She half screamed. Katniss had not thought about this. She was relieved at the thought of her child's father being a hero. She loved the fact that she could tell her kids that their father was a brave man. She also felt better about not having a donor track them down looking for his kids. It made the whole situation exciting for Katniss. She looked at the panicked Johanna.

"Katniss, He was my best friend, I can't have a kid with him. I just can't." she said in a begging voice. Johanna could sense the calmness in Katniss, and knew she liked the idea. How could Annie just give up her dead husband's sperm? Did she not want his children? Johanna needed the answers to these questions. She bounded out the door, but the guests had already made their way out of view. Johanna considered her options. She could run to the station, but they would probably be gone on the train. She could go to four on the next train, but that would not be fast enough. She made her way back inside where Katniss had made her self-comfortable on the couch. Katniss had found the papers from the doctor's office on the table, where Johanna had put them when they first arrived. She read the information, not sure, what she was looking for.

Johanna paced by the phone and looked at the clock, timing how long it would take Annie to reach her house. When the clock finally reached a decent time, Johanna dialed the number.

"Hello?" Annie asked in a breathless voice. She had just walked in the door.

"Annie, it's Johanna." She told her flatly. Suddenly, Johanna could not remember quite what she wanted to ask.

"Johanna, there's no need for a rushed answer; this is one you can sleep on." Annie tried to comfort her. She felt bad for freaking Johanna out. She knew it would be weird, but she had to offer.

"Why aren't you using his… donation?" Johanna cringed at the thought of Finnick whacking it to a magazine under Snow's order.

Annie sighed on the other end of the phone. "As you know, my son's birth was complicated. The doctor's are not sure I can live through another pregnancy. In addition, Finnick, well, he did not mix work and his personal life. You know that very well. The fact is, I cannot bring myself to even consider using it, knowing what it means. However, it would change things if it were you Johanna. It would change things." Annie stopped talking. She was very quiet, listening for the slightest noise from Johanna.

"I don't know Annie, the thought of having his child, I just, I can't" Johanna weakly answered.

"Don't decide now, talk to Katniss." Annie asked.

Johanna agreed, and they said their goodbyes. Johanna made her way to the spot where Katniss was grinning. Johanna slumped onto the couch. Katniss took her hand into hers and stroked her hair. She cared so much for Johanna. She would never ask her to conceive a child with Finnick. It would be too weird of course. However, she could not carry the baby herself. This was how Katniss came to her idea while Johanna was on the phone. Katniss was proud of her idea, and she was very much in love with it. Johanna noticed how Katniss was beaming and it annoyed her. She would not consider having a baby with Finnick for a second longer.

"No Katniss, I can't. I'm sorry, that is my decision." She had no anger in her voice, but it was firm and flat. Katniss laughed for a bit, before taking Johanna's face into her hands and forcing her to look at her face. Katniss was still smiling, and Johanna became frustrated. She could not understand why Katniss was suddenly happy.

"Baby, there's another way." Katniss told her softly. Johanna shook her head. Katniss cannot carry the baby unless the doctors say Johanna is not healthy enough. She would not handle it well. Katniss stopped Johanna from shaking her head and became more serious.

"There's a way Johanna, we can do this." She was confident now. She knew this was the option. Katniss was actually excited for a child now.

"Use my eggs, and his sperm, and you can carry them." Katniss said this so seriously that Johanna felt stupid for not seeing it before. She thought about the idea of not having Finnick's child, but carrying it. She calmed down at the thought. She could do that. They would all be tied into the child. Johanna would not have to be disgusted at the thought of her best friend's sperm fertilizing her eggs. The very thought made her want to vomit. But this was different. She could carry the child of her best friend.

Johanna smiled up at Katniss and shook her head yes. Katniss squealed and wrapped Johanna in her arms. Katniss did not care that she would have a child with Finnick. She knew that it was not in the physical romantic terms. She was completely fine with it. The girls cuddled together on the couch and marveled at the thought that having a child was now an actual possibility. It was actually going to happen. The girls fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms. Each had a smile on their lips and a glow on their faces that all new mothers seem to have.


End file.
